Cayman Pharmacists Earn Diabetes Educator Certification

In June 2013, four Pharmacists from the Cayman Pharmacy Group received their Caribbean Certified Diabetes Educator (CCDE) Certificates from the programme offered by the University of the West Indies. Daemione White, Simone Davis, Todd Jefferson and Shashorna Campbell earned their certifications after attending a 12 hour seminar presented by CCDE trainer Nurse Andrea Hunt as well as the successful completion of 250 hours of diabetes education with clients who have pre-diabetes, Type I or Type II diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Each of the four pharmacists also successfully completed the CCDE exam. These qualifications are similar to the American and Canadian Diabetes Education Certification qualifications.

The Diabetes Education Centre at CTMH | Doctors Hospital Pharmacy offers five hours of complimentary diabetes education to all patients who patronize any of the Cayman Pharmacy Group’s three locations. The service will expand to be offered at West Bay Pharmacy & Gifts this autumn.

White said, “According the 2010 Cayman Islands Census, diabetes is one of the top three illnesses in the nation affecting about 43 in 1000 people. This figure is believed to be low due to underreporting of the condition and patients who are not screened for the condition or do not have access to health care. Our aim as Diabetes Educators is to inform patients about their condition and to empower them to use the tools which they learn to self-manage their chronic condition.”

“The long-term complications of diabetes include, but are not limited to, blindness and lower limb amputations,” Campbell added. “The top two disabilities in the nation were sight (14.6 per 1000) and lower limb disabilities (9.6 per 1000). We infer from these statistics that there may be a higher incidence of people living with uncontrolled or undetected diabetes.”

“As joint pharmacists and Diabetes Educators, we have the additional expertise to review our client’s medication care plan. We can educate our clients on the purpose, side-effects and how to administer their medications to receive the most benefit,” Davis emphasized.

Jefferson said, “It is our aim to impact positively on our patient’s lifestyle to enhance their eating habits and exercise pattern preventing further complications associated with diabetes. We also hope to improve detection rates of the condition and see a reduction in the national diabetes incidence rate.”

David Pellow, co-owner of CTMH | Doctors Hospital Pharmacy, added, “We are proud of the accomplishment of our 4 pharmacists. We look forward to providing this health resource to the community through the Diabetes Education Centre at CTMH | Doctors Hospital Pharmacy and soon in West Bay.”